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Gordon Wilbur Tripp, 89, former owner of Natron Plywood, Jasper, Or., died March 29 in Eugene, Or.

The longtime lumberman also owned and operated AllAmerican Stud Co.

Byron Dean Jennings, 47 , veteran lumber trader, died April 2 of cancer in Gresham, Or.

Over a 2}-year career, Mr. Jennings worked as a lumber trader for numerous lumber companies, most recently with Buckeye Pacific, Portland, Or., until 2004.

Elrnus "Bud" Beck, 88, longtime Pacific Northwest lumberman, died April 21 in Eugene, Or.

Mr. Beck served in radio maintenance in the Army Air Corps in Guam as well as the Mariana Islands durins World War II.

He then operated his own logging company before working for 10 years in Georgia Pacific sawmills and 15 years at Kimball's Eugene, Or., sawmill, which later became Bohemia Lumber.

Logging Veteran Crushed At Site

A 72-year-old man who had worked for Freres Lumber Co., Lyons, Or., for more than 50 years died April 12 after being hit by a log truck.

Vernon C. Christensen was working as a flagger for Freres when a truck crushed him as it backed up on a remote logging road near Oregon's Silver Falls State park. The vehicle was driven by co-worker Edwin D. Wallace.

Sheriff's investigators ruled the incident accidental, believing that Christensen was in the truck's blind spot and probably did not hear the truck over the noise of nearby equipment.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division and the Oregon Department of Forestry are conducting their own investigations.

L-M Equipment Innovates For S0th

L-M Equipment, Bumaby, 8.C., has been manufacturing cross-cutting systems for the forest products industry since 1957. The company recently introduced a new machine and improved another.

The new I-Cut can be used for cutting studs, I-joists, structural components, and other lumber products. It has a cutting capacity of 20 to 60 ft. and longer, precision linear bearing guide system, and multiple package loading for increased production.

"The I-Cut was developed to fill the gap between higher- and lower-end machines we already make,,' said Rick Weihs, president. "We wanted to offer a wider range of affordable systems for smaller and medium size customers."

Another product, the Verticut multi-trim saw, now includes barcode scanning for automated cutting-in addition to an automatic measuring system.

Unlike other saws that require a three-man crew, the Verticut requires just one.

In order to meet increased demand for its oroducts. L-M plans to open a new 21.000-sq. ft. plant on t.S acres in Cloverdale, B.C. "We're just getting permits now,', said Weihs. "The plant is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2008."